USPTO Patents Application 10698158

Serial No. 10/698,158

Amdt. dated January 18, 2005

Reply ta Office action of Sept. 1 5, 2004

Amendments to the Claims:

This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application:
Listing of Claims:

Claim 1 ( currently amended ): A flexible support apparatus comprising:
a support base having an opening in one surface;
a mounting means -bracket having an opening in one surface; and
a permanently bendable solid metal rod having a first end installed in the opening of the
support base and fused directly to the support base, and having a second end installed in the
opening of the mounting means and fused directly to the mounting-mean s bracket .

Claim 2 (original): The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the metal rod is covered by a flexible sheath.

Claim 3 (currently amended): The apparatus of claim 2 wherein each of the opening in the support
base and the opening in the mounting mews -bracket further comprises a second larger opening
into which opposite ends of the flexible sheath are inserted.

Claim 4 (currently amended): The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a welded joint between
the metal rod and each of the support base and the mounting-means bracket .

Claim 5 (currently amended): The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the support base and the
mounting means -bracket are formed of an ultrasonically weldable plastic materia l the first end of
the metal rod being welded directly to the support base, and the second end of the metal rod being
welded directly to the mounting bracket .

Claim 6 (original): The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the metal rod further comprises a solid metal
rod formed of a material selected from the group of materials comprising: aluminum, copper, and
copper coated with another metal material.

Claim 7 (original): The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first and second ends of the metal rod
further comprise an upset metal finish.

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Serial No. 10/698,158

Amdt. dated January 18, 2005

Reply to Office action of Sept. 15, 2004

Claim 8 ( currently amended ): The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of the metal rod, the support
base and the mounting means -bracket are formed of a material that is metal-to-metal fusible by
conventional means.

Claim 9 ( currently amended ): A flexible support apparatus for supporting heavy objects relative to
a fixed surface, the flexible support apparatus comprising:

a support base having a substantially tubular aperture;

a mounting bracket having a substantially tubular aperture; and

a permanently bendable solid metal rod having a first end inserted into the tubular aperture
of the support base and having a weld joint formed therebetween, and a second end inserted into
the tubular aperture of the mounting bracket and having a weld joint formed therebetween.

Claim 10 ( currently amended ): The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the support base and mounting
bracket are both formed of an ultrasonically weldable plastic material and the weld joints formed
between the metal rod and each of the support base and the mounting bracket further comprise
ultrasonic weld joints.

Claim 1 1 (original): The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the first and second ends of the metal rod
further comprise upset surface material.

Claim 12 (original): The apparatus of claim 1 1 wherein the metal rod further comprise a metal rod
formed of a material selected from the group of materials comprising: aluminum, copper, and
copper coated with zinc.

Claim 13 (original): The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the metal rod, support base and mounting
bracket are formed of aluminum.

Claim 14 (original): The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a flexible plastic sheath disposed
around the metal rod between the support base and the mounting bracket.

Claim 15 (original): The apparatus of claim 14 wherein each of the support base and the mounting
bracket further comprises a respective counter-bore substantially concentric with the respective
tubular aperture and sized to admit the flexible plastic sheath.

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Serial No. 10/698,158

Amdt. dated January 18, 2005

Reply to Office action of Sept. 15, 2004

Claim 16 ( currently amended ): A method for forming a flexible support apparatus, the method
comprising:

forming a support base having a tubular aperture therein;
forming a mounting bracket having a tubular aperture therein;

fusing a first end of a permanently bendable solid metal rod in the tubular aperture of the
support base; and

fusing a second end of a-the permanently bendable solid metal rod in the tubular aperture
of the mounting bracket.

Claim 17 ( currently amended ): The method of claim 16 wherein:

forming a support base further comprises molding a support base of an ultrasonically
weldable plastic material;

forming a mounting bracket further comprises molding a mounting bracket of an
ultrasonically weldable plastic material; and

fusing first and second ends of the metal rod in the respective tubular apertures of the
support base and mounting bracket further comprises ultrasonically welding the first and second
ends of the metal rod in the respective tubular apertures of the support base and mounting
bracket.

Claim 18 ( currently amended ): The method of claim 17, further comprising installing a fl e xible
sheath -upsetting the metal around first and second ends of the metal rod.

Claim 19 ( currently amended ): The method of claim 18 wherein:

forming a support base having a tubular aperture therein further comprises forming a
second tubular aperture therein that is of larger diameter and is substantially concentric with a first
tubular aperture having the metal rod fused therein;

forming a mounting bracket having a tubular aperture therein further comprises forming a
second tubular aperture therein that is of larger diameter and is substantially concentric with a first
tubular aperture having the metal rod fused therein; and

installing a flexible sheath around the metal rod furth e r comprise s b y inserting opposite
ends of the flexible sheath into the respective second tubular apertures.

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Serial No. 10/698,158

Amdt. dated January 18, 2005

Reply to Office action of Sept. 15, 2004

Claim 20 (original): The method of claim 16 wherein:

forming a support base further comprises forming a support base of a weldable aluminum
material;

forming a mounting bracket further comprises forming a mounting bracket of a weldable
aluminum material; and

fusing first and second ends of the metal rod in the respective tubular apertures of the
support base and mounting bracket further comprises aluminum welding the first and second ends
of the metal rod in the respective tubular apertures of the support base and mounting bracket.

Claim 21 (original): The method of claim 20, further comprising installing a flexible sheath around
the metal rod.

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